Happy Energy New year 2018. There is a global need for sustainable urban energy solutions

After a break I find it is time to continue my blog on sustainable urban energy solutions.

I can find at least the following three reasons:

Global awareness: The year 2015 was a global milestone. September 2015 UN agreed on the 17 sustainable development goals to transform our world. Developing sustainable energy solutions in cities have a positive impact on at least 3 of the goals: No. 7 Affordable and clean energy for all, No. 11 Sustainable cities and communities and No. 13 Climate action. December 2015 we finally got a formal climate agreement after a successful COP21 in Paris. Moreover it seems that these goals and the agreement has started a movement in the right direction, not only among most member states, but also among many leading cities and campuses.

Danish action. Already in 2012 the Danish Parliament agreed that the climate goal for Denmark is to be independent of fossil fuels in 2050. But how to do it in a cost effective and sustainable way? Based on several studies, the Energy Commission submitted a comprehensive report April 2017. The main recommendations are: that wind energy should be the dominating renewable energy source for Denmark and that the challenge will be: not to establish enough wind energy, but to utilize this fluctuating and unreliable energy source in an integrated energy system. Due to economy of scale, we know that sustainable urban energy solutions will be a main driver for establishing such an energy system in cities including the 4 energy carriers: electricity, district heating, district cooling and gas grids.

Denmark is a show case. Denmark has for decades been recognized being a frontrunner in the green transition, in particular within district heating and wind energy. We have in Ramboll strong experience in planning and implementing these technologies in Denmark and internationally and are pleased to present this experience. We have noticed that the number of study tour delegations we have hosted has increased in 2017. Not only from Europe, but from more than 15 countries all over the world. In 2017 we have also experienced an increasing market for our consultancy services in many countries. This indicates that many countries, cities and campuses have started to take action on the UN sustainable development goals and the Paris agreement.